Avatar (2009)

So it finally came, the film i had been anticipating all year finally came. When i had first heard that director James Cameron was making a film and it would involve aliens and be a science fiction, fantasy, action endeavour, my eyes lit up. With my favourite film of all time being Aliens (also directed by Cameron) I couldn’t help but reduce myself down to giddy school girl status. And the ribbons and pleated skirts were fun for awhile but then as we inched closer to the release date, well, I got the jitters. What if this movie turns out to be better than Aliens? What if I have to tell everyone I have a new favourite film of all time in the year of it’s inception, oh how bad the mocking sting of such things. Thankfully that didn’t happen and my inner chestburster can incubate for another day. That is not to say that Avatar was a bad film, but it did lack a couple things which kept it from getting there. On the whole it’s a Faberge egg of a film, a beautifully gilded and encrusted shell of a film that yields very little yolk, but then again i may just love Faberge eggs above all things; I’d go to war with my neighbouring kingdom to have more (who wouldn’t?). What I’m trying to say is that this film is pretty but it lacks soul, which is a problem in a film that deals with such spiritual manners

Avatar is about a young army soldier named Jake who receives news of the death of his twin brother and is gifted with the option of finishing his brothers’ work on a distant planet called Pandora. It just so happens that his brother was a vastly intelligent scientist who was working on a unique project that placed him and several others inside makeshift bodies resembling the alien inhabitants, these are called Avatars. His intention become split down the middle when he is bribed by a colonel who suggests subterfuge as a way of advancing the armies tactical analysis of the native population, and his duty to the science team of which he is viewed merely as a grunt. With the colonel offering to repair jakes paraplegic state, Jake is easily swayed into betraying the science team, but something all together unexpected happens. Once Jake coalesces into his Avatar, he is able to walk, and regained freedom leads him far off into the acidic jungles of Pandora where he is discovered by a young native woman called Neytiri. Neytiri is a brave warrior and at first views Jake a nothing but a human in disguise, come to further pillage her planet for it’s resources so they can survive. When she sees how the forest responds to Jake, she changes her tune and he is permitted entrance into her clan (of which her father is leader) beneath a gigantic tree which is also the largest source of unobtanium, the very resource the humans intend to harvest. All this is much to the colonels delight, but as Jake spend more and more time with Neytiri and her people and their ways, he begins to fall in love with them and her. Nature takes it’s course and now Jake finds himself between a rock and a hard place. Does he follow his heart and join ranks with the alien Na’vi’s or will he remain duty bound in the hopes he will one day walk again. With a resulting war between races knocking on the doorsteps of the great tree, Jake must follow his heart but at what cost, will he and the Na’vi prevail or will it all be for not? You’ll have to see it too find out.

On the whole i really enjoyed Avatar, it wasn’t a vastly profound film, but it was an intensely beautiful one. This film really uses special effects in a big way, not only employing Weta, one of the best special effects houses out there, but creating a new style of camera that allows for 3-d filmmaking through stereoscopic imagery (take your glasses off and you’ll see two slightly overlapped images, that stereoscope), technology is very much at the forefront of this film, so much so that quantifiable realism and substance take a back seat, but the investment in the new technology pays off as it results in a film with an amazing look that uses 3-d in such a brilliant way, this is no “coming at cha” instead, characters are literally leaping off the boarders of the screen and the world they inhabit and sweeping up the viewer; it’s really one of the best pieces of escapist filmmaking I’ve seen. In fact the film seems partly dedicated to that idea, the attempt to get the viewer to experience the setting in a first hand way, it does this seamlessly. Clearly a film of high technical value, it shines in several areas, art direction, cinematography, make-up, editing, sound and score; all these things are on par or better. James Cameron is once again in top form as a director capturing some of the best action sequences I’ve seen in a long time, wonderful choreography and planning throughout the film. However it’s the things that I didn’t mention that bring the film down from the masterpiece it was projected to be.

Unfortunately for all the films miraculous ability to pull its viewer into its vibrant and dangerous world it really has nothing to make the viewer want to stay. The script is uninspired, relying heavily on ideas and dialogue reminiscent of other films, the acting is spotty with only a few approaching par. It’s kind of ironic that a film that presents such new ways of experiencing a film, still ends up feeling standard, in ways that can negate the impact of the technology; but it’s not as if the film has nothing to show for it. Pretty much every frame of this film is a thing of beauty, the developement of this world and these characters transfers wonderfully from the drawing board to the finished product, and there are extremely captivating moments in the film that are awe inspiring and the transcendent way the film pulls it’s viewer in is completely admirable, I don’t think I’ve felt this out of body since The Matrix, it’s a world I hope to revisit. And here’s hoping the film hold up in traditional 2-d because no film is worth running out to buy one of those new fangled 3-d capable televisions unless this is where were heading as far as motion pictures go. I do also want to note that this film does have something to say, it’s just that it doesn’t do so in any impacting way, and it is lost amid the beauty and action of the story; but basically there are parallels and contrasts between this films tree hugger sentimentality and our realities lack of such ideals. It wants to tell us to be kind to our planet and learn to respect it for all it’s majesty, even if it’s ten below and you wish it was summer, the earth can’t be changed in such ways as our planet is an entity bigger, and more complex than our over populated desires, and we simply have to protect our world and cherish it much like the Na’vi do theirs if we are to continue residing on it. I think this is lost on a lot of people partly do to the film’s failure as a script but also because that is a reality we don’t really want to accept, we know it means sacrifice and in this fast paced world, were to used to having it all at our fingertips. This film makes a great point, but it falls on deaf ears and seems weak to many. Perhaps if sh_it hits the fan for our planet we might be wishing we took more notice of these concepts; kick ourselves for drowning all those pagans who celebrated mother earth; but now I’m getting heavy. That said, I think the underlying moral of the tale is apt and awesome, but the surface level feels borrowed and formulaic.

So on the whole I avidly recommend this film for it’s beauty and epic nature; i also salute it for pushing the forefronts of technology a touch further and trying something new, because I’ve already seen this guy tackle and perfect the science fiction and action genres, it’s great to see Cameron continue to add new facets and challenges to something he’s already adept at, for me it’s always the ability to break from predetermined convention that makes a great director, and it’s great to see him doing just that, even if he fails on some levels. If you are a fan of science fiction and fantasy, this is a film you’ll enjoy, if not you will still be captivated by the beauty of the filmmaking enough to negate your biases. Yes the film could’ve been structured better but even so, Avatar is a clear standout in a sea of conventional filmmaking and deserves to be championed for that reason alone. I had a heck of a time escaping into this world, and I’m sure you will too. Highly Recommended.

The White Ribbon

The White Ribbon was a film I didn’t quite understand the first time I saw it. Not that the film is confusing in anyway, but i went in thinking this film was a mystery, and in ways it is, but on a rewatch I discovered it was so much more. The White Ribbon is a very provoking, well thought out look into the pathos of the German population pre world war one, with a major emphasis on those who would go on to form one of the most brutal, and strange parties in history, the Nazi party. The results achieved in this film do wonders in allowing us to understand how and why people could ever bring themselves to join ranks with Hitler, a particularly important film for anyone who has interest in World War II.

The White Ribbon is the story of a town, Eichwald, located in a rural area of Germany, just before the outbreak of World War I. In this town a series of mysterious and violent instances occur, with very little evidence left behind. The story is bookended with narration from the school teacher who is reflecting on this event with admittance of grey areas do to age. This school teacher is our central character, but his recollection is also further fleshed out and we look into the windows and hearts of several other families who all have possible motivations for being the culprit behind these strange instances. Of the families that are followed, there is a baron and his wife and child, who provides work for sixty percent of the town, a father who barely makes ends meet for his vast unruly family, A doctor with a terrible secret, and a pastor who rules his family with a devout iron fist. Several other people filter in and out of the tale, and a love interest for the School teacher allows moments of character development, all the while the person or persons responsible for the crime lurk somewhere in the shadows. But as i have already stated, this film is more than a whodunit, it’s far deeper than that.

I really liked this film, not just because of what it says, but the way in which it was presented. Director Michael Haneke knows above most things, how to play his audience. His films have always been laced with contrition toward the film goer, however this time he turns that anger on itself with insinuations about the mental state of the very population that bore him. He does this with the finest tuned hand imaginable that these things may even go unnoticed as you get caught up in the mysterious elements of the tale. None the less it’s there and it’s very well played and insightful. Haneke makes parallels between religion, faith, family values and ignorance that make for seemingly accurate analogies for why people might have gone on to attempt extermination of its Jewish population. Anyone with only a passing knowledge on that period of history will have their views expanded; just as anyone looking a good film will be equally / doubly rewarded.

With the scripts wonderful premises aside, there is some wonderful acting for a large cast that are all brilliantly cast. Christian Friedel who plays the teacher, gives a great performance that feels very realistic, but the film is about more than his view of the tragedy. Many of the children in the film give performance that seem as seasoned as the adult roles. The adults are wonderfully complex characters, and a lot of other themes are explored around them as their ideals contrast the generation they vehemently try to raise. A film loaded with beauty and import. Also the cinematography is really wonderful despite originally being filmed in color, the town and townsfolk really come alive, and the film really aims for a high technical value and achieves all of it. There are lots of wonderful bits and pieces that help to propel the slow moving events and make every scene a crucial part; either in thought or in action.

On the whole I think The White Ribbon is a 2009 film you can’t afford to miss. Not only is it brilliantly rendered its a story that has a lot to say, and does both in superb fashion. It’s not surprising to see this film nominated outside the foreign film category, it could’ve feasibly achieved more, the costumes and art direction are also apt. So if you haven’t seen this film yet, what’s holding you back? Don’t let Haneke’s hatred of mainstream audiences scare you away, this time he’s turned the mirror on himself and presents a taste of his own medicine that couldn’t be more bittersweet, or more apt. Recommended

Invictus (2009)

Thus far, I haven't been a big lover of Eastwood's zest for directing. I don't know how many movies he managed to release in this decade but it's enough to give kudos for staying active. On one hand Eastwood is everything i praise about the craft, the challenge it present us. I'm always the most impressed by the people who can be found in several avenues of film, be it in front of the camera or behind it; that’s how you really leave a mark on cinema. On the other hand, know your strengths, what if Madonna was an excellent key-grip, or better yet sound technician; and was Swept Away necessary, I digress, sometimes the glove doesn't fit. I find that to be the case when I watch a film directed by Eastwood, I secretly hope for him to show up and possible start shooting stuff. I'm not really impressed at life as seen through this man's eye, and more over, the way he views it with such drab, and ugly undertones, never visually impressed by him for some reason, the scenes are saved by the actors. So in viewing Invictus, I still don't get the love, and maybe this man's crapped out one to many ideas to give his double zeros much care, they almost blend together in their defused schemes.

Invictus which is both about Nelson Mandela's first year as president, and the Rugby team that united the country at his will, changing the identity of the country forever. This is actually an interesting piece of sports and political history, and it's interesting how in simply rallying people around something they all can enjoy leads to peaceful coalition elsewhere. The bond between the President (Morgan Freeman) and the Teams Captain (Matt Damon) is very strong, as our comparisons in the world they face. Both actors do pretty good here, Freeman often allows believable escape into someone who is vastly recognized, while Damon is able to be anonymous and his performance comes across very well, he's the regular Joe whose world is changed by the people and the pressures that he faces. That reads well on Damon who really should be taken serious as an actor by now (remember when he was attached to that other guy), it’s a very good physical role too and he was also able to bring across the characters inspiration and determination Top marks in the acting, big cast too, everyone is decent. Love the hot secretaries.

The movie comes close to mining actual emotion but seems stunted by the length of the scenes. The film is also overly poetic and thus takes away from the central beauty of the event. And the films final act is a series of shots of crowds cheering and teams scoring ad nauseam. It kind of took something that was interesting and over sentimentalized it to the point of winning white fluffy kittens at the end. Kind of lost its point, just be happening everyone got home safe.

So if sports history, political history, or these people’s lives seem interesting to you, there’s something in this film that you will find interest in. However everyone else just gets treated to an overlong biopic that lacks above all things direction. That looks like it has cataracts and gets to the line of passionate viewer response, and farts. None-the-less his films attract talented people to them, and that shows, these performances are decent and can carry the movie through to its overly rewarding conclusion. Good for Eastwood, Palatable, and bland for the rest of us, proceed with caution.

The Milk of Sorrow (2009)

What an interesting surprise this film turned out to be, despite all odds, I really enjoyed this deeply. The Milk of Sorrow is the first film from Peru I have seen and it has one of the most out there plots I have seen in awhile. The best thing is that this story is handled so maturely and properly that it can’t help but generate interest in its topic, in its characters, and in its themes. The well restrained direction makes this ridiculous and awkward story play with complete sincerity; and despite some bad pacing between the acts, it’s really a film that came out of nowhere to impress me. Definitely a foreign film contender in my mind, and a film worthy of all the praise it can get.
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The Milk of Sorrow is all about a girl named Faustia who was born with a depression passed on from her mother thru breast milk, making Faustia melancholic, anti-social and fearful of men. To make matters worse, at a young age, Faustia somehow managed to lodge a potato in her vagina that has now, years later, become a medical problem. We first meet Faustia on her mother’s deathbed, her final words sung out as an ode to her dead husband Jesofo; she wishes to be buried beside him where he lay miles away. Faustia being both devastated and reliant on her mother must now find a way to accomplish her mother’s final wish. This event forces Faustia into the world, and we follow her down her sorrowful and uncomfortable path, as she find work with an understanding pianist who tries to break Faustia's shell through song. There are others around her who both help, and hinder Faustia in her trials and travels; various elements of comedy and tragedy prevail here. Does redemption and clarity lie at the end of Faustia’s tale? One must watch to find out.
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So when this film unravelled itself in the first twenty minutes, I had to admit that this was an extremely far fetched story. Or in another way, I felt it was a story I could never relate to. But again it’s the wonderful restraint that the director and actress works here that makes the film really believable. And what a performance this lady gives here, I mean understated for sure, but completely compelling with her seriousness and charm. There are a lot of silent moments, as Faustia doesn’t say much and is very timid, but something about the performance intrigued me, and had me thinking about the Faustia inside, what was going through her mind ect. It just felt like a very honest performance, it would be nice to see some attention there. A side from Magaly Solier in the titular role, the rest of the cast is decent, brilliantly cast, wonderful bit performances all around. The film is lush and beautiful, taking in all the sites and lifestyle of Peruvian living. A lot of wonderful ironic moments occur in the film that keeps it alive, and the protagonist complex and interesting. Just an all around well played affair that uses all the right techniques to get it’s deranged and thought provoking ideas across. It could of been more lively in certain parts, and the ending could’ve had more impact, but overall, Faustia’s world of sorrow was enchanting and enthralling to visit.
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So on the whole I definitely would recommend this film in a sea of foreign films that haven’t really won me over save a few. I think this film stands out for its unique plot and brilliant acting directing. I won’t lie, this is a film that you will have to accept for how ridiculous it seems, but it’s worth it to watch someone live with these problems and how they make a go of it. A great deal of class and tact went into this exotic little piece of cinema that very little in the Milk of Sorrow ever curdles. Recommended.

Chunky Town is created, pollution up 7%

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